The present invention relates to a multifunctional microprocessor device which has slide plates that are alternatively moved in the longitudinal or transverse direction to show different character codes through respective windows thereof and simultaneously to switch the device to different function modes.
Regular multifunctional microprocessor devices such as electronic dictionaries, translators, commonly provide several operational functions including the function of translating words and sentences from English to Chinese or from Chinese to English, the function of a calculator, etc. In order to match with different function modes, two or more character codes are engraved or printed on each key at the top for a respective input operation. Therefore, the user must select the desired function mode through functional keys and operate the operation keys according to corresponding character codes being made on the operation keys. However, when several character codes are closely made on each operation key, the user shall have to spend a substantial amount of time in finding the character codes to be inputted, and errors may be made easily during the operation. There is a type of microprocessor device having operation keys comprising of a respective LCD element which shows a respective character code corresponding to the selected function mode. When the microprocessor device is switched from one function mode to another, the character code displayed on the LCD element of each operation key is changed correspondingly. Because LCD elements are expensive, this type of microprocessor device is not widely accepted.